College scholarships

[hillwoodfan]

What is your sons size, stregnth, and speed?

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He is 6' 4", 200 lbs.....4.6/4.7.....strength is the biggest issue....has always been a 3 sport athlete and never given the weight room the proper attention until this spring.

[shaggyJ]

Well, first, I am not an expert as to where he SHOULD have gone.  But, in my opinion he could have gone to a lower-tier D-I school (say MTSU, Vanderbilt, Tulane, Ala-Birm, Memphis, etc.) as a D-Back.  But, without a doubt, he is a top notch D I-AA prospect.

 

But, the whole point I had was he was barely recruited.  So, I don't think he got a fair look or evaluation to know where he did fit.  It just doesn't pass the common sense test.  Why would someone who runs a 4.6 (minimum), 36" vertical leap, Mr. Football winner, over 4000 yds in 2 yrs, outstanding defensive stats, 4-yr starter, great student, etc. not get looked at by more schools?  SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE!!!!!

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cat i have to agree with you that he got screwed. i've seen him play twice. this kid should get a shot at playing SS for somebody, people at the 1-AA level would be nuts not to at least let him come workout. TTU should have given him a scholarship.

 

i know that this whole thing can be very frustrating. my brother had some looks from 1-AA schools but they all beat around the bush then said we want you to walk on. he's going to play at CU in lebanon next year and he couldnt be happier. the new coaching staff has been nothing short of amazing in how they have helped him get ready for next year on the field and in the classroom.

[EastTNGuru]

highlight tapes are a waste, coaches will get them and throw them away. they dont want to see what you do "every now and then, your big plays," they want game tape, to see what you do on every snap, not just when you get the ball.

[HTV]

highlight tapes are a waste, coaches will get them and throw them away.  they dont want to see what you do "every now and then, your big plays," they want game tape, to see what you do on every snap, not just when you get the ball.

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Agreed. That's why I said that a parent doesn't need to put that together and that they should let their high school coach handle it. The high school coach knows what a college coach is looking for.

 

During my son's recruitment the college coaches ask for "complete game tape", not highlight tape. We let the high school coach send them.

[hillwoodfan]

I agree that a complete game should be sent along with highlights. I know for a fact that coaches dont throw these away. They do watch the tapes...there is no way for them to see every kid "live" and they dont only recruit kids from their camps. If you have a high school coach willing to make many copies and send out for you...great! Not all coaches do this. If you are able to go to every camp at every school that you may be interested in..go for it....but dont discount tapes and say they are a waste......I speak from experience, they give kids exposure.

[FatCat]

Well, I am a little calmer now and I might not be quite as "passionate" about my points as I was earlier on this thread. And, as for the "black" issue, this is my basis for that statement. I believe that blacks are perceived to be better athletes overall (and they probably are). And, because of that perception, they are given more attention or a "benefit of the doubt" over a white athlete. But, again, that is just one portion of my issue. I am frustrated with "the system", but I may be a little more level-headed now.

 

Anyway, I think my points of contention still stand, but here is the biggest gripe of all. We wouldn't have to have this thread if colleges would formalize with SPECIFICS what it is they are looking for in a football player. I know there can't be a hard, fast rule. But, they could say...."if you want to be a linebacker at So-n-So University, you need to be at least 6'2" and 240 lbs, run a minimum 4.7 in the 40, vertical leap of 32 inches, etc." or whatever standards they have. And, each school would be different.

 

This is no different than academic admission standards that are published. But, they won't ever put it out for athletics and that is a shame.

 

Here is something simple they could publish.....if you fit the above standards or have the potential to have them as you mature (or are close) and think you deserve to be recruited to play football for So-n-So University, then you need to do the following:

 

1. Have a minimum 2.5 GPA and ACT Score of 19 (or whatever their standards are....it could be higher than the minimum required by NCAA).

 

2. Submit a complete game video tape and a highlight video tape. (this is what I was told by at least 4 different schools)

 

3. Attend the So-n-So University Football Camp at least once beginning your Sophmore year.

 

4. So forth and so on.

 

 

The problem I have is that while going through the recruiting process, we kept being told all this stuff, but nobody would tell us "you are not recruiting material for us and here is why"......or even give us a guage as to where you may fit. It is just a big unknown and you are exploring trying to see where you fit physically, academically, etc. The process just STINKS! If I would have known what I know now, I would not have wasted all the time and money I spent the last two years.

 

And, to top it off.....to see someone so deserving as Roger Herndon get the shaft from the college football world......well, it just makes me want to blow a gasket!!!

 

Thoughts?

[EastTNGuru]

have you ever sat down and thought that there are 1,000's of other "roger herndon's who got the shaft" out there? just b/c you make a good HS player doesnt mean you should get an automatic ride to college. there are plenty of good HS football players, but there are only a handful of those who are actually good enough to play in college. college coaches will tell 1,000's of athletes the same things, just to keep them interested in case something falls through. i've known kids that cant tie their shoes but yet they receive letters daily from D-1 coaches b/c of their size and speed. colleges can make you into anything they want, hence the "size and speed" comment; they also tell you "all the right things that mama and daddy want to hear." it's not a game at this level, it's a business. they have to put food on the table for their families just like we do. im sure this herndon character was a great HS player, but if college coaches dont see the potential to be a big time impact in their program, they're not going to waste their time.

Edited May 3, 2005 by EastTNGuru

[GLee]

have you ever sat down and thought that there are 1,000's of other "roger herndon's who got the shaft" out there?  just b/c you make a good HS player doesnt mean you should get an automatic ride to college.  there are plenty of good HS football players, but there are only a handful of those who are actually good enough to play in college.  college coaches will tell 1,000's of athletes the same things, just to keep them interested in case something falls through.  i've known kids that can tie their shoes but yet they receive letters daily from D-1 coaches b/c of their size and speed.  colleges can make you into anything they want, hence the "size and speed" comment; they also tell you "all the right things that mama and daddy want to hear."  it's not a game at this level, it's a business.  they have to put food on the table for their families just like we do.  im sure this herndon character was a great HS player, but if college coaches dont see the potential to be a big time impact in their program, they're not going to waste their time.

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Just maybe the parents become a problem????

[HTV]

I agree that a complete game should be sent along with highlights.  I know for a fact that coaches dont throw these away.  They do watch the tapes...there is no way for them to see every kid "live" and they dont only recruit kids from their camps.  If you have a high school coach willing to make many copies and send out for you...great!  Not all coaches do this.  If you are able to go to every camp at every school that you may be interested in..go for it....but dont discount tapes and say they are a waste......I speak from experience, they give kids exposure.

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A coach at one of the 1-AA programs in Tennessee told me that anything he gets from a parent he never looks at. He only looks at what comes from the high school coach.

 

I'm sure different college coaches have different philosophies on that, but i've found that most are like that coach.

[FatCat]

A coach at one of the 1-AA programs in Tennessee told me that anything he gets from a parent he never looks at.  He only looks at what comes from the high school coach.

 

I'm sure different college coaches have different philosophies on that, but i've found that most are like that coach.

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Now, see......that right there is EXACTLY what I am talking about. THAT IS A PIECE OF CRAP! To boot, it is OUR tax dollars that are paying this idiots salary. Who is he to not look at tapes from parents? I don't care how many million tapes they get in. The thing that most of us parents were told by the colleges we talked to was that they needed a game tape and a highlight tape. If that is not what college coaches really want.....then they need to publicize this so we don't all waste our time.

 

That is exactly why I am saying there should be some published standards about what you need to do to position your kid for an athletic scholarship. If you can do it in academics, why can't you do it for athletics?

 

Now, trust me.....there may be 1000's of Roger Herndon's out there.....but there are 1000's of football scholarships each year. You take 300 some odd Div I-A and I-AA times only 10 scholarships and you have 3000 at that level. And, that is a CONSERVATIVE number. To boot, Herndon was on 2 or 3 national recruiting lists, to include Rivals. So, he is special.....and he would make a heck of an impact as a defensive back on any team's roster.

[HTV]

Now, see......that right there is EXACTLY what I am talking about.  THAT IS A PIECE OF CRAP!  To boot, it is OUR tax dollars that are paying this idiots salary.  Who is he to not look at tapes from parents?  I don't care how many million tapes they get in.  The thing that most of us parents were told by the colleges we talked to was that they needed a game tape and a highlight tape.  If that is not what college coaches really want.....then they need to publicize this so we don't all waste our time.

 

That is exactly why I am saying there should be some published standards about what you need to do to position your kid for an athletic scholarship.  If you can do it in academics, why can't you do it for athletics? 

 

Now, trust me.....there may be 1000's of Roger Herndon's out there.....but there are 1000's of football scholarships each year.  You take 300 some odd Div I-A and I-AA times only 10 scholarships and you have 3000 at that level.  And, that is a CONSERVATIVE number.  To boot, Herndon was on 2 or 3 national recruiting lists, to include Rivals.  So, he is special.....and he would make a heck of an impact as a defensive back on any team's roster.

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I really do respect where you are coming from, but we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. Because of what I do for a living I have an opportunity to talk one on one with a lot of high school and college coaches. I believe the system works well and very few players who have the academics and talent to play college football are missed.

[LEONARDSLOSERS]

I have to agree with HTV, on this one. I am truely sorry for your sons predicament. On the Roger Herndon ordeal, it is horse of a different color. He was an average high school football player from what I saw. I am not saying that he could not play ball somewhere he just did not seem all that athletic against an athletic team. I would not have thought he was even in the top 10 of running backs in the state. Of course I only saw him play in one game. He did nothing to stand out at all in the Championship game. Remember that 1 in 60 sign football scholarships of any kind. That is adding the ones that receive partial athletic. Most Tennessee high school players that sign, sign for academic or other types of scholarship (Grant in aid, etc). Again Roger seems to be a great kid, a team leader, All-American boy, but that don't always work in the world of recruiting. The experience of playing college ball is something special. No matter where you play and what level, the players learn and have great experiences in most cases. Div 1-A is much more exciting, much more glamorous, and much more of a headache. Those coaches can't afford to make a mistake. I really wish FATCAT and his the son the best, as well as Roger Herndon.